More than one-third of gun owners say they don't lock up their weapons at home, even if they have kids.
The University of Washington surveyed 3,000 people at recent gun safety events across the state.
Forty percent said they have at least one firearm in their home that's not locked. Fourteen percent said they store all their firearms unlocked and loaded.
The author of the study was surprised by the findings because the people who were polled have a high awareness about gun safety.
According to previous research, storing firearms locked and unloaded reduces the risk of both unintentional and self-inflicted firearm injuries among young people by over 70%.
The study's author writes: "guardians might think that training adolescents or older children is enough to keep them safe, that training means they don’t have to lock their guns. Unfortunately, a lot of adolescents are at high risk of suicide, and unlocked guns add to that risk – regardless of training."
Read more about the study here.
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